Shopify Development | EARNST

What we do

Custom Shopify development for stores that need more than a theme template can provide. This includes custom theme development (coded from scratch to match your design), checkout extensions (adding functionality to the checkout process), app integrations (connecting inventory systems, ERPs, marketing tools), and performance optimization (making existing stores faster).

We work with Shopify's modern development tools: Liquid for templating, Sections for flexible layouts, checkout UI extensions for customizing the buying experience, and the Admin API for backend integrations. We handle both visual customization (making your store look exactly how you want) and functional extensions (adding features that don't exist out of the box).

Who needs this?

Shopify merchants who have specific requirements that standard themes can't handle. Common scenarios: you have a custom design from a designer, you need unique product configuration options, your checkout process has specific requirements (gift wrapping, custom shipping options, business account validation), or you need to connect Shopify to existing business systems.

Typical clients: DTC brands scaling past €500k annual revenue, B2B shops with complex pricing, stores with unique product types (custom configurations, subscriptions, bundles), merchants migrating from other platforms who need feature parity. If you're using Shopify's basic plan and a free theme, you probably don't need custom development yet.

How EARNST approaches it

We don't modify purchased themes. We code from scratch or work with Shopify's Dawn theme as a foundation. This avoids the maintenance nightmare of trying to update heavily customized commercial themes. Every project starts with understanding business requirements first, technical implementation second. What problem are we solving? What does success look like? What's the simplest solution?

Performance is non-negotiable. We optimize images, minimize JavaScript, lazy load non-critical content, and test on real devices. We avoid bloated apps when custom code would work better. We set up version control (Git) and staging environments so changes can be tested before going live. And we document everything so your team or future developers understand how the system works.

Project scope

A custom theme build (based on provided designs) takes 4 to 6 weeks depending on complexity. Checkout extensions (adding upsells, custom fields, validation) typically take 1 to 2 weeks. App integrations vary: simple API connections take 3 to 5 days, complex multi-system synchronization can take 4 to 6 weeks.

Performance optimization projects (auditing and fixing an existing slow store) usually take 1 to 2 weeks and often result in 30% to 50% improvement in page load times. Ongoing support is available on a monthly retainer basis (€500 to €1,500 depending on store complexity) covering updates, bug fixes, minor adjustments, and app maintenance.